Sifuna Criticizes Nairobi State–County Deal, Warns of Takeover

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has described the cooperation agreement signed between the national government and Nairobi City County as unconstitutional and a threat to devolution.

The agreement, signed at State House by President William Ruto and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, was intended to cover four key areas. But Sifuna said his office was not consulted, and no public participation was conducted before it was signed.

“This is not cooperation. It is a takeover,” the senator said, adding that scheduling public participation after signing the deal undermines the rights of Nairobi residents.

No public consultation

Sifuna questioned the 14-day timeline for post-signing public input, saying it was too short to be meaningful. He noted that the agreement limits participation to amendments, leaving residents with no option to reject it outright.

“Planning after the fact is not participation—it is window dressing,” he said.

National government dominates steering committee

The senator also criticized the composition of the steering committee overseeing the agreement, noting that two-thirds of its 12 members are national government appointees.

“This arrangement reduces the governor to a subordinate role, making him answerable to the Prime Cabinet Secretary,” Sifuna said.

Echoes of the NMS era

Sifuna compared the deal to the former Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), which left the county with Sh16 billion in unpaid bills. He noted that Governor Sakaja had publicly criticized NMS only a week earlier.

“Thousands of contractors are still waiting for payment. Repeating this system puts livelihoods at risk,” he said.

He also challenged claims by the President that the national government was contributing Sh80 billion to Nairobi, saying the county is owed more than Sh100 billion in outstanding rates and obligations.

County functions and road agencies

The senator raised concerns over national agencies such as KURA and KeRRA continuing to handle county roads, which he said are constitutionally county responsibilities. He recalled that opposition leader Raila Odinga had recommended dissolving the two agencies in a 2025 MoU with President Ruto, a proposal he said has been ignored.